Method of hydrocarbon-oil conversion



March 12, 1929. e. EGLOFF 1,705,181

METHOD OF HYDROCARBON OIL CONVERSION Filed Dec. 4, 1925 ll/Zirzeaa:

Patented Mar. '12, 192 9.

- UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE GUSTAV EGLOFF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL OIL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

METHOD OF HYDROCABBON-OIL CONVERSION.

Application filed December 4, 1925. Serial No. 73,256.

This invention relates to improvements in method of and'apparatus for hydrocarbon oil conversion, and refers more particularly to subjecting hydrocarbon oil to the action of heat and superatmospheric pressure for the purpose of obtaining maximum yields of light hydrocarbons having commercial values such as gasoline and the like.

Briefly describing the present invention, the process consists in simultaneously subjecting refractorydistillates of kerosene-like characteristics derived from the distillation of crude oil as well as pressure distillate bottoms and the unvaporized residue of crude oil topping and distillation to the action'of heat while being maintained under a superatmospheric pressure, in introducing said heated oils into an enlarged reaction chamber where the separated vaporized fractions of each will commingle and result in a maximum heat interchange and change in chemical combination. v

One of the advantages accruing to the present invention, is that it is possible to treat a refractory distillate of kerosene-like characteristics and a fuel oil simultaneously with the resultant saving of plant equipment. and improved result.

The single figure in the drawing is a more or less diagrammatic side elevational view of the apparatus Referring in detail to the drawings, 1 designates an inlet line, controlled by a valve 2 communicating with a heating tube 3 mounted in a furnace 4. In the present instance, the oil introduced. to the line 1 may be the unvaporized residue of crude oil topping and distillation which is commercially referred to as fuel oil, or some heavy crude oil which contains no-light fractions.

This oil is heated in the heatingt-ube 3 and passed through the transfer line 5 controlled by line 6 into the reaction chamber 7 where the vapors are separated passing out through the vapor outlet line 8 controlled by the valve 9 and are dischargedinto the lower portion of the dephlegmator 10, rising upwardly therein and being retarded by meansof the usual battle and bubble plates. packing or the like. The uncondensed vapors after passing through the dephlegmator 10 are discharged through the vapor outlet 12 controlled by the valve 13, and are condensed in the condenser coil 14 mounted in the condenser box 15, the condensed product passing through the line 16, controlled by valve 17, being collected in the receiver 18.

This receiver is provided withthe usual pressure gauge and liquid level gauge, not shown, as well as the incondensable gas outlet pipe 19 in which is interposed'the valve 20 and the liquid drawofl' 21 controlled ,by valve 22.

T be furnace may be a commercial form of side fired furnace having the burners 23, the combustion chamber 24 and tube chamber 25 separated by the vertical baflle wall 26. The gases of combustion generated in the tube chamber 24 pass upwardly over the baffle wall 26. and downwardly following the course of the arrow. being discharged into a stack at the bottom of the furnace below the, heating tube 3.

A heating coil 27 similar to the heating coil 3 is located in the upper part of the tube chamber 25above the heating tube 3. said heating tube 27 being subjected to the highest temperature. A refractory distillate of kerosene-like characteristics derived from crude oil-or pressure distillate bottoms hereinafter referred to' as kerosene-like bodies may be introduced to the heating tube 27 through the line 28 controlled by valve 29, the heated kerosene-like bodies passing through the line, 30 controlledby valve 31 into the reaction chamber 7. The reflux con densate of the dephlegmator 10 may be returned through the line 32 controlled by the valve 33 to the return line 34 in which is interposed a reflux pump 35'and valves 36 as well as a by-pass 37 controlled by valve 38. It is obvious that valve 38 may be closed and valves 36 opened when it'is desired to im pose initial pressure on the reflux, and vice versa. The line 34 in which is also interposed the valve 39, is connected with the heating tube 40 mounted intermediate the heating tubes 3-and 27. The heated reflux after passage through the heating tube 40 is passed through the transfer line 41 in which is in terposed the valve 42 discharging into the expansion chamber 7. The expansion chamber may be provided with the residue drawoif 43 controlled by the valve 44. The expansion chamber 7 may or may not be externally heated, and of course, may be insulated lighter products.

or lagged to prevent undue radiation of heat.

It will be instantly obvious that the process and apparatus shown and described, is very flexible in operation allowing for the maintenance of predetermined temperatures and pressure conditions, and for operation accordingto the most desired manner.

It has been found desirable to separately heatthe' kerosene and fuel oil bodies at different temperatures and under different pressures for the purpose of subjecting each to its most efficient temperature and pressure condition for securing maximum yields of For instance, .if fuel oil and the kerosene-like bodies were mixed prior to being introduced to a heating zone, it

would be necessary to subject the mixture to a high temperature for the purpose of cracking the kerosene-like bodies. In that event the fuel oil bodies would be greatly overheated and over-cracked and. would deposit excessive amounts of coke-like particles in the heating tube. By subjecting these bodies separately to the action of heat, and further by subjecting the kerosene-like bodies to a higher heat and the fuel oil bodies to a lower heat, it is possible to subject these bodies to the temperatures most efficient for the production of maximum yields of commercial products of greater value, and this 1s accomplished without having complicated and expensive apparatus which is not always in use, by combing these features into one apparatus. Further, the vapors separated in the expansion chamber 7 from the kerosene-like bodies are at a very high temperature and will transmit heat to the unvaporized por-- tions of the fuel oil bodies, which of course, are at a lower heat thus resulting in a beneficial heat interchange in thereaction chamher 7 and resulting in a maximum yield of lighter products, which it would not be possible to obtain even if the fuel oil bodies were subjected to a higher temperature in the heating tube, due to their tendency to precipitate and deposit carbon.

Further, as a feature of the present invention, it may be found desirable to maintain a higher pressure on the kerosene-like bodies while being subjected to heat in the heating tube 27 than is maintained on the fuel oil bodies being heated in the heating tube 3. In such instances, substantially all of the kerosene-like bodies upon being released into the chamber 7 from transfer line 30 will vaporize due to their contained heat, and the reduction in pressure, it being obvious of course, that the chamber 7 is maintained at or "below the lowest pressure maintained on the fuel oil in the heating tube 3.

As a further feature of this invention, the return reflux condensate is also subjected to separate heating, preferably in an intermediate zone since the reflux will re uirea higher temperature than the fuel oil odies,

maintained on either the kerosene-like bodies or fuel oil bodies, or it maybe at a differential pressure, for instance, intermediate. "It is understood, nf course, that the drawing and description are diagrammatic, and that vari ous changes can be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention.

The essence of the invention resides in separately heating the kerosene-like bodies and subjecting them to a higher temperature, and the fuel oil bodies which are subjected to a much lower temperature, and introducing these heated bodies to thesame expansion chamber, in conjunction with the maintenance of high, differential or similar superatmospheric pressures on the different bodies. Combined with this as a secondary feature of the invention, is the step of returning and separately heating the reflux condensate.

As an illustrative example of the process, fuel oil bodies may be introduced into the heating tube 3 and there subjected to a temperature of say, 820 F. more or less, at a superatmospheric pressure of say 200 pounds and discharged into the reaction chamber 7 where separation of vapors from unvaporized residue takes place. Simultaneously therewith, there may be introduced into the heating tube 27, kerosene-like bodies which may be heated therein,'to a temperature of say, 1100 F. more or less, and 2000 pounds more or less pressure- The chamber 7 may be maintained under a pressure of say 200 pounds more or less, that is, at a-pressure sub.- stantially the same as the pressure maintained on the fuel oil bodies. All of the kerosene-like bodies heated to such a high temperature, will vaporize immediately upon discharge into the chamber 7, transmitting their heat to the unvaporized portions of the fuel oil 'bodies, causing vaporization of all the volatile fractions of said fuel oil bodies. The combined vapors pass out through the va or line 8. to the dephlegmator 10. The re ux from this dephlegmator is returned to the heating tube 40 where it is subjected to a temperature of. say 1000 F., and maintained under a pressure of say, 1200 pounds more or less, due to the reduction of pressure on both the kerosene and reflux when introduced to the chamber 7. They will substantially completely vaporize and assist in vaporizing the remaining volatile fractions in the fuel oil due to their high heat. The above temperatures and pressures are purely illustrative, and may be varied within widelimits, with-. out departing from the scope of the present invention. I

It is obvious, of course, that any portion of the reflux condensate ma be withdrawn from the system through t e line 32 controlled by the valve 33. It is to be understood, of course, that the present invention is not limited to the positioning of the three heating tubes in the same furnace.

I claim as my invention:

1. A process of hydrocarbon oil conversion, consisting in simultaneously subjectin, fuel oil bodies and kerosene-like bodies to the action of heat in separate heating elements, in discharging these heated bodies into an expansion zone common to both, in removing vapors therefrom, in dephlegmating said vapors, in'returning and subjecting the reflux condensate to heat in a, separate heating element and discharging. said reflux condensate to said common expansion zone, and in maintaining .superatmospheric pressure on the oil and vapors under treatment.

2. A process of hydrocarbon oil conversion, consisting in separately subjecting kerosene-like bodies to a high temperature under high superatmospheric pressure, in simultaneously subjecting in a separate heating element, fuel oil bodies to the action of a relatively lower heat at arelatively lower superatmospheric pressure, in discharging these heated bodies to a common expansion zone where separation of vapors takes place, subjecting the vapors to dephlegmation, returning the reflux condensate and subjecting itto heat in a separate heating element at a temperature and superatmospheric pressure different from one or bothof the temperatures and'pressures maintained on the kerosene-like bodiesand the fuel oil bodies, and discharging said heated reflux condensate into said common expansion zone.

3. A process for converting hydrocarbon oils, which comprises heating a. stream of vheavy hydrocarbon oil to a relatively mild cracking temperature, introducing such heated heavy hydrocarbon oil into an enlarged re- 4. A continuous process for c acking hy-.

drocarbon oils, comprising heating a stream of fuel oil to a relatively mild cracking temperature, delivering the heated fuel oil into an enlarged reaction zone, wherein a substan 'tial body of oil accumulates, simultaneously and separately heating a stream of kerosenelike products to a temperature far in excess of the cracking temperature of the fuel oil. delivering such kerosene-like products, while at a temperature in excess of the cracking temperature of the fuel oil, to said enlarged reaction zone, to augment the cracking of the fuel oil therein, subjecting vapors evolved from the fuel oil and released from the kerosene-like products, to reflux condensation, while in commingled form, to separate therefrom the insufficiently cracked fractions forming reflux condensate, subjecting the reflux condensate to a separate heat treatment, wherein the same is raised to a temperature in excess of the temperature imparted to the fuel oil, and thereafter delivering the reflux condensate to said enlarged reaction zone.

' GUSTAV EGLOFR' 

